Journeys that inspire change

Award Categories

Following the conference, the Whale Heritage Site Summit will showcase destinations, businesses, charities, events, and communities leading the way in marine conservation, community engagement, and sustainable development.

Awards will be given to world-leading initiatives in front of representatives from tourist destinations, international institutions and the private sector, along with global experts in tourism, sustainability, the arts, marine conservation, scientific research and commercial whale watching.

Delegates will then discuss and explore opportunities for the development of new sites, and networks of sites, worldwide.

Inspiring Change Award

This award will go to an individual, organisation, or business that has provided information, tools, resources, services or products that encouraged a change in human behaviour to the benefit of cetacean conservation or welfare.

Responsible Whale and Dolphin Tourism Award

This award recognises tourism providers who are making a positive difference in the destination where they operate by adopting sustainable management practices or educational experiences and achieving positive impact for local cetacean and human communities. Our aim is to reward innovation and leadership in all forms of responsible whale and dolphin tourism, in the hope that the wider industry will step forward with similar ambitions.

Whales & Dolphins in the Heart of the Community Award

This award will go to an individual, organisation, or business, that improves the impact and effectiveness of a community in its attempts to protect whales, dolphins, porpoises, and their habitats through sustainable practices, conservation initiatives, animal welfare interventions, or conservation-based research. The community must benefit collectively through community-wide efforts and initiatives that maintain or improve local marine ecosystems.

Innovation for Cetacean Conservation Award

This award will go to an individual, organisation, or business that conducts the most innovative research or conservation project designed to protect cetaceans and their habitats.

How to enter the Whale Conservation and Heritage Awards

The Whale Conservation and Heritage Awards seek to recognise and encourage excellence across the fields of conservation, animal welfare, community engagement, and sustainable practices. These are the fundamental principles by which the WCA partnership operates. Award winners will evidence clear benefits for cetaceans and their habitats under the relevant category.

Am I Eligible?

The competition is open to entry from individuals or organisations, amateurs and professionals, from both inside and outside the WCA partnership, worldwide. We are particularly keen to see and spread the word about successful, small-scale effortsand projects with the potential to be replicated nationally or internationally.